‘Tis the season: Small business gift guide
The holiday season is somehow already upon us and if you, like me, have been completely caught off guard and now have no idea what to get your loved ones, here’s a hand-picked list of 10 gift ideas from small businesses and independent artists that I absolutely love.
Most of us are running on fumes and the quarters we found down the back of the fridge, so all of these selected items are $25 and under.
Of course, gifts are not the point of the holidays any year, but especially not this year, so be kind to yourself if you can’t manage to go all-out. But if you are able to treat your loved ones, make sure to get yourself a little something nice, too, while you’re at it.
A quick caveat: Please keep in mind that due to smaller-scale production and limited resources (not to mention la pandémie), small businesses may need more time to create, process, and ship items than larger companies. Be mindful of and compassionate toward creators and business owners who are just doing their best during this high-stress time.
Via Eighth Generation’s website.
A 100 percent cotton tote for carrying all your worldly goods, featuring a cat! Riding an orca!
This adorable design is by Eighth Generation founder, Louie Gong, and was inspired by a kitten he found on the Muckleshoot Reservation. Louie officially adopted Rez Cat (a.k.a. Maosie) and immortalized him on tote bags and t-shirts.
Eighth Generation is a Seattle, Washington-based art and lifestyle brand owned by the Snoqualmie Tribe. It features art by Indigenous artists including blankets, jewelry, phone cases, t-shirts, and prints, and encourages people to support “‘inspired Natives, not ‘Native-inspired.’”
Also! The enamel pins all retail for $10 if you’re looking for a beautiful but affordable stocking stuffer.
Little Weirds by Jenny Slate, paperback $15.63
Bookshop.org
Via Jenny Slate’s Instagram.
You know what I love? Fellow Massachusetts-raised weirdo and brilliant actress Jenny Slate. (And also books.) You know what I don’t love? Giant corporations that are pushing out small businesses.
But hurray! A solution! Bookshop.org allows you to search for bookshops in your area, or, if you order directly from the website, a portion of the proceeds will go toward an earnings pool that will be evenly distributed among a collection of independent bookshops.
(If you’re in the Boston area, check out Frugal Bookstore! And for my Philly friends, I also must give a shout out to my good friends at The Spiral Bookcase.)
Brothers Body Balm - Original, 8 oz $14.99
Brothers Body Balm
Via Brothers Body Balm’s website.
Even if we’re staying inside more than usual this winter, the harsh, cold air can still be pretty brutal, especially if you’re already prone to dry skin.
I’ve been on the lookout for a soothing, non-overly-scented moisturizer for a while now and came across Brothers Body Balm. The brand is based in Boston and was founded by Rotimi, who wanted to create the perfect moisturizer for Black men and share it with others.
The whipped body balm is made with only four ingredients: shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter, and vitamin E oil and looks absolutely divine.
Bonus: The brand also makes vegan lip balm at $3.99 each.
Via Bandcamp.
My dear friend Paola Bennet has been creating music for as long as I’ve known her and one of my favorite projects of hers is The Shoebox EP, which was released at the end of 2016. Her music is haunting, poignant, and ultimately hopeful, which I think we all need a little more of this year.
The full EP is available on Bandcamp, with an additional option to give it as a gift, so for only $8, you have both you and a loved one covered!
If you’re into R&B, give the To See and Hear Hxrself EP by Ava Sophia a listen! The full EP is $3.99 on iTunes. Her latest release, Love Language, is also available to stream on Spotify and it’s absolutely stunning.
For something a little more rock-and-roll, check out my friend Jude’s band, Fuzzkill! They have two full albums available, each for $10 on Bandcamp. I went to one of their concerts (remember those?) a couple years ago and they truly brought the house down.
Bubble Tea Keychain, $14.50
Petite Workshop
Via Etsy.
One of the things I’ve missed most in 2020 is going out to get boba, like, whenever. With this keychain, it’s (almost) like having the real thing, only cuter. It comes in all the best “flavors,” like strawberry, brown sugar, and mango.
(If you’re not a boba person, there’s also iced coffee and dalgona whipped coffee versions, too.)
The creator, Dorothy Wong, is an Asian-Canadian artist based in Ontario. She also has a YouTube channel that goes behind the scenes of making the teeny tiny delights.
Taco Bar, $23.95
La Catrina
Via La Catrina’s Instagram.
If you don’t have La Catrina in your area firstly, I’m sorry, but secondly, this is mainly an example to show that you can support your favorite local restaurants a) from the comfort of your own home and b) by still “cooking” your go-to dishes with only a little bit of assembly required.
Check out the restaurants around you to see if they offer these meal kit options and get one delivered to a loved ones’ home — or do a drive-by yourself! — so they don’t have to think about cooking, at least for a meal or two. (I’ve been watching the latest episodes of Buzzfeed’s Worth It for some inspiration.)
Many restaurants also offer gift cards, which is another great choice for the indecisive foodie in your life.
Via Etsy.
Shopping second-hand and/or vintage is an amazing way to reduce, reuse, recycle, as well as a way to hold a little part of history for yourself.
For musicians, or just for people who love collecting all things weird and fabulous across the decades, this sheet music from 1913 is addressed to “Lenore,” evoking Edgar Allan Poe (10th grade English class, anyone?).
Items often sell quickly from vintage shops, so in addition to antique sheet music, Rose and Rue also sells vintage photos, postcards, prints, and other little curios and charming oddities at a very reasonable price point.
Via Wasi’s website.
Wasi has pledged 50 percent of the proceeds from this poster’s sales to go to the People’s City Council Freedom Fund in Los Angeles, which provides bail relief and helps get supplies to protestors. The other 50 percent goes toward the costs to produce the poster.
Wasi is a one-woman business run by Bolivian-American owner Vanessa Acosta. It aims to be ethical, sustainable, and representative and supportive of the Latinx community.
For additional gift ideas, the shop also sells amazing art prints, tote bags, mugs, and adorable little stickers for $3-4.50 each.
Via the Parks Project’s website.
Okay, this technically isn’t a small business as such, but I thought this organization was too cool not to share. Founded in 2014 by friends Keith Eshelman and Sevag Kazanci, the Parks Project donates a portion of every sale to fund projects through its 50 park conservancy partners. Check out all the ways the project contributes to nature efforts here.
I chose this journal because I’ve really stepped up my journaling game in the last few months of the year and it’s definitely improved both my mental health and my overall organization. Plus, you can never have enough notebooks, in my personal opinion.
Other gift options in the shop include bumper stickers, iron-on patches, t-shirts, posters, greeting cards, and this beautiful parks themed wrapping paper ($18).
Hopefully we’ll all have the opportunity to get out into nature (and away from too many people!) more often in the new year.
Mutual aid, long-term and sustainable
Your community!
Via the Allston community fridge on Instagram.
In my opinion, the best gift you can give is to support your community through mutual aid.
To start, do a search for community fridges, food banks, clothing drives, supply drop offs, giving circles, shelters, etc. in your area and organize with your friends and neighbors to help each other out. Mutual Aid Hub is a great home base for these kinds of efforts all over the country.
Next, come up with a personal budget strategy that is doable and sustainable for you and your life. Spencer Icasiano made a great post on Instagram for how to get going if you don’t know how to begin!
For Massachusetts folks, I created Stand Up Boston earlier this year to assemble resources like community organizations, legal aid, Black-owned businesses, mental health resources, and learning materials. This site is geared toward Boston residents, but it also includes more generalized information and resources. It’s evergreen and evergrowing — I update it approximately every three weeks.
Looking out for each other is more vital than ever and should be a priority for all of us this year, and every year.
Enjoy the season, however and whatever you celebrate. I hope you are able to take care of yourself, rest, reflect, heal, and safely spend time with loved ones, no matter what that looks this time around.
My Ko-Fi page!
Check it out if you’ve gotten value out of this blog/newsletter and want to provide me with some caffeine to keep this whole thing running.
Bonus playlist:
If you’re a Christmas music enthusiast, here’s my four-hour-long playlist for the season. Ho ho ho.